For the first time since 2016, New Zealand will host Trans-Tasman foe Australia in Tests over a hectic home summer schedule in 2023-24. The two games will be held in February and March at Wellington’s Basin Reserve and Christchurch’s Hagley Oval. In the same month, New Zealand’s men’s squad will host South Africa for two Tests at Bay Oval in Tauranga and Seddon Park in Hamilton. This will be New Zealand’s fourth opportunity to break their duck against a team they have never beaten in the format, either at home or away.
The men’s team’s home summer begins on December 17 with an ODI and T20I series against Bangladesh, followed by five T20Is against Pakistan between January 12 and 21, further preparing them for the T20 World Cup. While the Bangladesh matches will be staged in four different locations – Dunedin, Nelson, Napier, and Tauranga – the Pakistan matches will be held in Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedin, and Christchurch.
New Zealand’s home summer will feature 32 international matches, beginning on December 3 with Sophie Devine’s team taking on Pakistan in the first of three T20Is in Dunedin. This will be followed by as many ODIs as possible till December 18, as part of the ICC Women’s Championship. They will not play another home game until March 19, when they host England in Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, and Hamilton for five T20Is and three ODIs.
“It’s a hugely exciting time for cricket in New Zealand, both in terms of the great series and teams on offer this summer, and the ability for fans to either attend the matches first-hand or watch live on TV at no charge,” NZC chief executive David White said.
While planning their calendar, New Zealand Cricket decided to include no less than ten double-headers, addressing the dual necessity of attracting new audiences while also improving the program’s efficiency in times of climate change awareness.
“In terms of lighting venues, we’ve been able to schedule several back-to-back night matches and day matches to ensure good opportunities for both families and adult patrons, which we believe is good for the game.” It’s a strategy that supports our desire to prioritize energy efficiency – and just do the right thing as a sports organization, given the issues we’re seeing from climate change these days,” White explained.
